Aahfil.

Market conduct, hoarding and prices

Three separate concerns sit together here. Meeting caravans outside the city, or selling on a villager's behalf, both exploit an information gap. Hoarding to wait out a price rise is called the act of a sinner. And when the Companions asked for prices to be fixed, the Prophet ﷺ declined, saying it is Allah who sets them.

14 narrations

What this asks in practice

Read the two halves together: the market is left to find its own price, but the conduct that distorts it — withholding supply, trading on what the other side has not yet heard — is closed off by name.

This framing is ours. It is not part of the narration.

This is a reference compilation, not a religious ruling. Narrations are reproduced from published translations with their references and their gradings, each attributed to the scholar who gave it — graders disagree, and we show the disagreement rather than resolve it. For how any of this applies to a specific transaction, ask a qualified scholar.

The narrations

Sahih al-Bukhari 2158

Book 34, 109

حَدَّثَنَا الصَّلْتُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ تَلَقَّوُا الرُّكْبَانَ وَلاَ يَبِيعُ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَا قَوْلُهُ لاَ يَبِيعُ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ قَالَ لاَ يَكُونُ لَهُ سِمْسَارًا‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Tawus: Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Do not go to meet the caravans on the way (for buying their goods without letting them know the market price); a town dweller should not sell the goods of a desert dweller on behalf of the latter.' I asked Ibn `Abbas, 'What does he mean by not selling the goods of a desert dweller by a town dweller?' He said, 'He should not become his broker

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2161

Book 34, 112

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذٌ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ نُهِينَا أَنْ يَبِيعَ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Anas bin Malik: We were forbidden that a town dweller should sell goods of a desert dweller

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih al-Bukhari 2163

Book 34, 114

حَدَّثَنِي عَيَّاشُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ مَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَبِيعَنَّ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ لاَ يَكُنْ لَهُ سِمْسَارًا‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Tawus: I asked Ibn `Abbas, "What is the meaning of, 'No town dweller should sell (or buy) for a desert dweller'?" Ibn `Abbas said, "It means he should not become his broker

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih Muslim 3824

Book 21, 24

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَبِعْ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ زُهَيْرٌ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ نَهَى أَنْ يَبِيعَ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ ‏

Translation

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported it directly from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ):The townsman'should not sell for a man from the desert (with a view to taking advantage of his ignorance of the market conditions of the city). And Zuhair reported from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he forbade the townsman to sell on behalf of the man from the desert

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih Muslim 3825

Book 21, 25

وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ تُتَلَقَّى الرُّكْبَانُ وَأَنْ يَبِيعَ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَا قَوْلُهُ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ قَالَ لاَ يَكُنْ لَهُ سِمْسَارًا

Translation

Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The riders (carrying merchandise) should not be met in the way, and townsman should not sell for a man of the desert. The narrator reported. I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What do these words really imply-" The townsman for the man of the desert"? He said: That he should work as a broker on his behalf

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4492

Book 44, 44

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الزِّبْرِقَانِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى أَنْ يَبِيعَ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَبَاهُ أَوْ أَخَاهُ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated from Anas that: the Prophet forbade a town-dweller to sell for a desert- dweller, even if he was his father or brother. (Sahih)

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih Hadith
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4493

Book 44, 45

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَالِمُ بْنُ نُوحٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ نُهِينَا أَنْ يَبِيعَ، حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَخَاهُ أَوْ أَبَاهُ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "It was forbidden to us for a town-dweller to sell for a desert-dweller, even if he was his father or brother." (Sahih)

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih - Agreed Upon

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4500

Book 44, 52

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُتَلَقَّى الرُّكْبَانُ وَأَنْ يَبِيعَ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَا قَوْلُهُ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ قَالَ لاَ يَكُونُ لَهُ سِمْسَارًا ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrate from Ibn Tawus, from his father, that Ibn 'Abbas said; "The Messenger of Allah forbade meeting the riders, and for a town-dweller." I said to Ibn 'Abbas:"What does a town-dweller (selling) for a desert-dweller mean?" he said: "He should not act as a broker for him

Grading

  • Abu Ghuddah·Sahih
  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih - Agreed Upon

Sunan Abi Dawud 3451

Book 24, 36

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَحُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ غَلاَ السِّعْرُ فَسَعِّرْ لَنَا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّازِقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يُطَالِبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The people said: Messenger of Allah , prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah is the one Who fixes prices, Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah, none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or property

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid·Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Isnaad Sahih

Sunan Abi Dawud 3447

Book 24, 32

حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ بَقِيَّةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرِ بْنِ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ، أَحَدِ بَنِي عَدِيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَحْتَكِرُ إِلاَّ خَاطِئٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لِسَعِيدٍ فَإِنَّكَ تَحْتَكِرُ قَالَ وَمَعْمَرٌ كَانَ يَحْتَكِرُ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَسَأَلْتُ أَحْمَدَ مَا الْحُكْرَةُ قَالَ مَا فِيهِ عَيْشُ النَّاسِ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَ الأَوْزَاعِيُّ الْمُحْتَكِرُ مَنْ يَعْتَرِضُ السُّوقَ ‏.‏

Translation

Narrated Ma'mar b. Abi Ma'mar, one of the children of 'Adi b. Ka'b: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: No one withholds goods till their price rises but a sinner. I said to Sa'id (b. al-Musayyab): You withhold goods till their price rises. He said: Ma'mar used to withhold goods till their price rose. Abu Dawud said: I asked Ahmad (b. Hanbal): What is hoarding (hukrah) ? He replied: That on which people live. Abu Dawud said: Al-Auza'i said: A muhtakir (one who hoards) is one who withholds supply of goods in the market

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Sahih
  • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid·Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih Muslim (1605)

Sahih Muslim 4122

Book 22, 161

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ بِلاَلٍ - عَنْ يَحْيَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ - قَالَ كَانَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ مَعْمَرًا، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنِ احْتَكَرَ فَهُوَ خَاطِئٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقِيلَ لِسَعِيدٍ فَإِنَّكَ تَحْتَكِرُ قَالَ سَعِيدٌ إِنَّ مَعْمَرًا الَّذِي كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ كَانَ يَحْتَكِرُ ‏.‏

Translation

Ma`mar (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:He who hoards is a sinner. It was said to Sa`id (b. al-Musayyib): You also hoard. Sa`id said: Ma`mar who narrated this hadith also hoarded

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sahih Muslim 4123

Book 22, 162

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الأَشْعَثِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَحْتَكِرُ إِلاَّ خَاطِئٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Ma'mar b. Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: No one hoards but the sinner

Grading

Authentic by consensus — the collection is graded as a whole

Sunan Ibn Majah 2154

Book 12, 18

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نَضْلَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَحْتَكِرُ إِلاَّ خَاطِئٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

It was narrated from Ma'mar bin 'Abdullah bin Nadlah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:"No one hoards but a sinner

Grading

  • Al-Albani·Sahih Hadith
  • Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi·Sahih
  • Shuaib Al Arnaut·Sahih
  • Zubair Ali Zai·Sahih Muslim

Muwatta Malik 1380

Book 31, 42

وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَلَقَّوُا الرُّكْبَانَ لِلْبَيْعِ وَلاَ يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ وَلاَ تَنَاجَشُوا وَلاَ يَبِعْ حَاضِرٌ لِبَادٍ وَلاَ تُصَرُّوا الإِبِلَ وَالْغَنَمَ فَمَنِ ابْتَاعَهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ بِخَيْرِ النَّظَرَيْنِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَحْلُبَهَا إِنْ رَضِيَهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ سَخِطَهَا رَدَّهَا وَصَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation

Malik related to me from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do not go out to meet the caravans for trade, do not bid against each other, outbidding in order to raise the price, and a townsman must not buy on behalf of a man of the desert, and do not tie up the udders of camels and sheep so that they appear to have a lot of milk, for a person who buys them after that has two recourses open to him after he milks them. If he is pleased with them, he keeps them and if he is displeased with them, he can return them along with a sa of dates." Malik said, "The explanation of the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, according to what we think - and Allah knows best - 'do not bid against each other,' is that it is forbidden for a man to offer a price over the price of his brother when the seller has inclined to the bargainer and made conditions about the weight of the gold and he has declared himself not liable for faults and such things by which it is recognised that the seller wants to make a transaction with the bargainer. This is what he forbade, and Allah knows best." Malik said, "There is no harm, however, in more than one person bidding against each other over goods put up for sale." He said, "Were people to leave off haggling when the first person started haggling, an unreal price might be taken and the disapproved would enter into the sale of the goods. This is still the way of doing things among us

Grading

  • Salim al-Hilali·Sahih

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